The present application finds particular application in cruise-control systems in vehicles, particularly involving adaptive cruise-with-braking (ACB) systems. However, it will be appreciated that the described technique may also find application in other motor control systems, other vehicle systems, or other cruise control vehicle systems.
Some conventional ACB systems relate to determining whether a forward vehicle is in the same lane as a host vehicle. If so, then brakes may be activated as a function of the position of the forward vehicle relative to the host vehicle. Such systems base a braking reaction on a single, longitudinal threshold event. Other systems use a reference azimuth angle. The angle of the target vehicle from the reference azimuth is measured. If the target vehicle angle is within a certain angle, the radar system determines that the target vehicle is in the path of the host vehicle and may set a collision warning.
Other approaches attempt to determine whether deceleration of the host vehicle should remain the same when the target vehicle is lost, or determining a future course of the host vehicle based on the position of the target vehicle. Still other techniques limit a braking pressure according to a target deceleration variable after detecting the distance to and the velocity of the target vehicle or determine whether the target vehicle is moving through a curve or changing lanes. Such systems use the relative velocity and measured angle to determine whether the target vehicle should remain the target vehicle. Other systems determine whether a forward vehicle is in a curve or made a lane change. If the forward vehicle made a lane change, the host vehicle returns to its preset cruise control speed. However, such conventional approaches fail to consider the lateral offset of the target vehicle or the curvature of the road as it pertains to following distance of the host vehicle.
The present innovation provides new and improved ACB systems and methods that permit the ACB system to modify a braking range limit for foundation braking in a host vehicle as a function of the lateral offset of a forward or target vehicle and/or the curvature of the road on which the host vehicle and forward vehicle are traveling, which overcome the above-referenced problems and others.